If you'd told investors what was going to happen in 2012 - U.S. economic growth at stall speed, an intensifying European debt crisis, a slowdown in China, fiscal deadlock in Washington, decelerating corporate earnings growth - and asked how the stock market would perform, few would have predicted a good year.

Despite worries about tax hikes and a global slowdown, hiring in metro Milwaukee and much of Wisconsin is expected to improve in the next three months, according to a quarterly survey by QPS Employment Group, a staffing and recruiting agency based in Brookfield.

"There's a steady increase, not a barn burner, but at least it's headed in the right direction," said QPS Vice President Steve Waller. | Dec. 31, 2012»Read Full Article(3)